Stop member for locating an end tab in position to be severed from a strip of tabs



Oct. 16, 1956 2,766,823

A. PURMAL STOP MEMBER FOR LOCA'HNG AN END TAB IN POSITION TO BE SEVERED FROM A STRIP OF TABS Filed July 28, 19,54

IN VEN TOR.

Agfreci Par/7241 United States Patent '6 STOP MEMBER FOR LOCATING AN END TAB IN llgglTlON TO BE SEVERED FROM A STRIP OF Alfred Purmal, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 28, 1954, Serial No. 446,213

3 Claims. (Cl. 164-44) This invention relates to index tab dispensers. Index tabs have been developed which in their manufacture comprise a strip of transparent cellulose or cellophane-like transparent material which on one side only is provided with pressure sensitive adhesive. On the adhesive surface of the strip are adhered two parallel ribbons of paper or like material slightly spaced apart, the spacing being along the longitudinal center line of the transparent strip to provide a fold line. The paper ribbons may be printed, before assembly, with the desired indicia on the surfaces which are adhered to the adhesive strip. The adhesive strip is of a width to extend substantially laterally beyond the outermost edges of the ribbons. The assembled structure is provided with longitudinally spaced diamond shaped openings arranged with the major axis substantially spanning the two parallel ribbons. The distance between successive openings determines the length of the tabs, since in severing a tab from the composite strip, the severance lines are crosswise of the strip coincident with the major axis of the openings. Such a severed tab can be folded along the center line and the two lateral uncovered adhesive portions of the strip applied to opposite sides of a sheet or page of a catalog for indexing purposes.

Such indexing tabs in strip form may be supplied in roll form and the object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser therefor whereby successive tabs can be cut uniformly from a strip in roll form by depressing a shear blade by an operator using a finger of one hand while the other fingers of the hand grasp the tab to be severed ready for application to the edge of a sheet to be indexed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an index n tab dispenser provided with tab severing means and "means for arresting the forward feed of a continuous tape of such tabs in a position to insure that the successive severed tabs will be uniformly severed from the roll.

Other objects of the invention relate to features of construction of the severing and tape arresting or stop means which will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of an index tab dispenser which is illustrative of the invention;

Fig. '2 is an end elevational view as viewed from the right of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the dispenser shown in Fig 1 and illustrating a severed tab at the front ofthe dispenser;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged broken elevational View of the tape severing and arresting means;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a similar view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing the improved dispenser is shown as comprising a holder 10, to the .for-

ward or right-hand end thereof as shown in Fig. :1 the improved tape severing and arresting means, later described, are mounted. The dispenser 10 is formed preferably of metal, or sheet metal, provided with suitable material to give it adequate weight. There is a cavity or chamber 11 in the dispenser which is of 'a size to receive a roll of the composite tape such as indicated generally at 12. The roll 12 usually is wound upon a cardboard circular core 13 of a diameter to vfit over a short shaft 14 having coaxial studs 15 which provide the. axis upon which the shaft and the roll turn as the free end of the tape is moved forwardly, intermittently, to enable the tabs to be severed individually for use. 'Opposed channels 16 are provided in the inner walls of the cavity 11 to accommodate the axial studs 15 in removing or replacing the axle and roll in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

At the forward or right-hand end of the holder, as viewed in Fig. 1, there is provided means for severing in succession the end tab from the composite tape and cooperating means for arresting the tape in its forward movement whereby the severance lines of the end tabs will be made uniform by the severing blade and the severed tabs will be uniform in shape, and when placed in position on a sheet or sheets will be neat in appearance.

As shown in Fig. 3, the tape of tabs indicated by. number 17 has uniformly spaced along its longitudinal center a series of diamond shaped openings 18, the major axis of which openings extend transversely of the tape. The tape consists essentially of a strip of transparent material 19, preferably cellophane, having one surface coated with pressure sensitive adhesive to which surface are adhered two relatively narrow strips or ribbons 20 of paper or the like which are spaced apart slightly along the longitudinal centerline of the strip 19. The composite tape is thereafter provided with the diamond shaped openings 'and define between. succeeding openings the individual tabs, which upon severance from the tape can be placed in adhering relation on a sheet or page of a catalog or the like with one adhesive marginal end in adhesive contact with one side of the sheet or page, and the tab then folded transversely along the central weakened fold line provided by the space between the strips 20, and the other adhesive portion of the strip, 19 then adhered to the other side of the page. The narrow ribbons 20 have printed thereon, before assembly with the adhesive strip 19., in properly spaced relation, index indicia as letters, abbreviations, or the like. The indicia are printed on the side of each ribbon'20 which contacts the strip 19 and hence are visible at each side of the tab when it is placed in indexing position.

The improved tab severing and locating means comprise a stationary horizontal blade 21 secured by screws to the forward end section 22 of the holder 10 and across which the tabs are drawn manually to severing relation. Arnovable shear blade 23 is pivotally attached to one end of the blade 21 by a bolt '24 which is slidable longitudinally within openings provided in the blades. A coil spring 25 is positioned about the bolt between the head thereof and the blade 23 and has 'the intu'rned end of one arm 26 positioned in an opening in the blade and an inturned end of another arm 27 in an opening in a stationary partof the structure as in the stationary blade 21. The spring is under compression and tends to swing the blade 23 to. the raised position shown blade 21. It tends to move the bolt rearwardly and so holds the stationary blade 23 in suitable shearing relation withthe blade 21. -;Thefends of the 'bladeszl and 23'arep'r ovided with cooperative formations to arrest the upwardly swinging action of blade 23 in a raised position as shown in Fig. 4. Thus, blade 21 has a stop 29 formed by turning the extreme end .of the blade forwardly and against which the flattened end portion 30 of the blade 23 contacts to arrest upward swinging movement thereof as illustrated in Fig. 4.

A stop means for arresting forward movement of the tape in a tab severing position comprises a horizontally positioned plate 31 secured in positionby screws 32. The plate 31',as viewed in Fig. 6, is cut away along its lower forwardedge leaving a thin projecting forward portion 33 which overlaps the top edge of the blade 21, as shown in Fig. 6. The forward or right-hand edge of the projecting portion 33 terminates slightly to the left of the forward shear edge of the stationary blade 21 as shown in said figure. On the upper surface of the plate is shown a pair of raised portions 34 about the screws 32, but they may be omitted, if desired, although they serve as guides during movement of the tape forwardly. Intermediate the members 34 is located a raised positioning stop 35 formed integrally with the plate 31 or welded thereto. The stop 35 is substantially of a top surface area corresponding to one-half the area of the diamond shaped openings 18 in the tape of tabs, al-' The though it is relieved slightly at its forward side. shape of the stop 35 is such that the rearwardly convergent wallspwill seat against the rearwardly convergent sides of the diamond shaped openings of the tape and when an-opening 18 of the tape is in engagement with the stop, the/transverse or major axis of the opening'will I opening thus providing a severed tab 36 of the original.

shape shownin Fig. 3 ready to be applied in use as above described. V

In operating the dispenser described, the one affixing the indexing tabs to the pages of a catalog or the like, grasps the forward tab of the tape in the machine and draws it forwardly to move the next opening 18 over the stop 35.. With a finger, such as the index finger of the hand holding the tab, he presses down on the blade 23 tolsever the tab from the tape and then. can readily attach the tab in thedesired position on the edge of the page or sheet being indexed. V 1

The improved dispenser will hold a roll of connected tabs and by reason of the stop member. 35 which fixes the severing position of each tab insures that successive tabs are uniformly severed from the tab strip along transverse lines coincident with the major axis of the diamond shaped opening between successive tabs. ,The operator can hold the tab ready for severance with the thumb and middle finger of one hand whilethe blade 23 is depressed to sever the tab with the index finger of .the same hand, and then can aflix the tab in position on the sheet in desired indexing relation.

.The dis'penserfand severing means described facilitates. .the severing of the successive tabs from the roll'and while a specific structure illustrative of the invention has been shown and described, variations in details thereof may be resorted to without departure from the invention defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A severing dispenser for a roll of index tabs in strip form provided with openings disposed along the center of the strip between successive tabs, comprising a holder having a chamber for receiving a roll of tabs in strip form, a shaft in the chamber upon which a roll of tabs is adapted to be mounted, a stationary horizontal shear blade extending transversely of an end portion of the dispenser, a cooperative movable shear blade pivotally mounted at one end on the stationary blade and being swingable downwardly in shearing relation with the stationary blade, and a stop member at the rear of the stationary blade and of a size and shape to fit the rear portion of each of the openings in the strip for successively locating the end tabs in position to insure the severance of the same from the strip by the movable blade along atransverse line bisecting the opening between the end tab' and the next succeeding tab.

2. A severing dispenser for a roll of index tabs in strip form provided with diamond shaped openings along the center of the strip between successive tabs with an 7 axis of each opening disposed transversely of the strip,

comprising a holder having'a' chamber for receiving a roll of the tabs, a stationary shear'blade disposed transversely of an end of the dispenser and over which the tabs are adapted to be drawn in succession for severance from the strip,a movable shear blade pivotally mounted in shearing relation with the stationary blade, and a raised stop member of triangular form at the rear of the shear edge of the stationary blade for successively seating in the rear'portions of the openings of'the strip for locating the" terminal tabs of the strip each in a position to be severed from the strip alonga transverse line bisecting the adjacent opening upon operation of the movable shear blade. V V

3. A severing dispenser for a roll of index tabs in strip form providedwith openings along the center of the strip between tabs, comprising a holder having a chamber for receiving a roll of the tabs, a stationary, shear blade disposed transversely of an end of the dispenser-and over which the tabs are adapted to be drawn in succession for severance from the strip, a movable shear blade pivotally mounted in shearing relation with the stationary ;blade a spring action on the 'movable bladetending to hold the same in an elevated position angularly disposed above the stationary blade for ready depressive'engagement by a finger of an'operator on the same hand grasping the terminal end of the strip and to return the same to the elevated position following depression thereof in severing a tab from the strip,- means for arresting the spring imparted return movement of the blade in'said position, and a stop member located rearwardly of the stationary shear blade for seating in. successive openings in the strip for locating the tern'1i-.

n'al tab of the strip in position'for severance from the strip by the movable blade along a transverse line bisecting'theadjacent openingof the strip. e

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED :STATES PATENTS V 

